Carpet sweeper

Abstract

A manually operated carpet sweeper which can be assembled and disassembled without the need of tools. The sweeper has a frame which supports front and rear wheels, a cleaning brush and a dirtpan, all of which are fastened to the frame by finger operable latching surfaces. The sweeper is operated with a handle which is fastened to a bail which is releasably supported on the frame. The front, side and top forward surfaces, all potentially marring surfaces, are covered with an elastomeric material which has finger actuable gripping surfaces for fixing the cover in place on the frame of the sweeper. The height of the sweeper, and in turn the height of the cleaning brush, can be adjusted using a wheel or a sliding member on the top surface of the sweeper. Also, the rear wheels for the sweeper are held by configured stub shafts which are held by the sweeper frame thereby avoiding the use of an axle extending across the width of the sweeper. A large dirtpan is thereby made possible. The dustpan is biased to the use position by a sliding spring.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows. 
     
       1. A carpet sweeper having a rotatable brush which is driven by a wheel of said sweeper as said sweeper is moved across a carpet comprising: a frame for said sweeper said frame having a flexible portion for supporting a cleaning brush;   a pair of front and a pair of rear wheels for supporting said sweeper;   means on said frame for removably and replacably supporting said pair of front and said pair of rear wheels for said sweeper;   a rotatable cleaning brush supported by said frame and releasable therefrom by flexing said frame;   a dirtpan pivotally and releasably supported by said frame and normally spring biased in said frame to receive dirt from said cleaning brush; and   a soft cover for said frame, said soft cover being removably and replacably attached to said frame by a plurality of gripping members.   
     
     
       2. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 1, including means for adjusting the height of said front wheels relative to said frame and thereby the height of said cleaning brush relative to a surface being cleaned. 
     
     
       3. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cleaning brush has a shaft supporting a plurality of dirt collecting members and a driven wheel on each end of said shaft for engagement with said front wheels to rotate said cleaning brush. 
     
     
       4. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 3, wherein said driven wheel, on said shaft supporting said cleaning brush, is smaller than said driving front wheel. 
     
     
       5. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 4, wherein said driven wheel, on said shaft supporting said cleaning brush, is approximately three times smaller than said driving front wheel. 
     
     
       6. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 5, wherein said pivotable links enable said front wheels to pivot rearwardly bringing said front wheels into driving engagement with said driven wheel on each end of said cleaning brush causing said cleaning brush to rotate at a speed of approximately three times the forward motion of said carpet sweeper and in an opposite direction of travel as said carpet sweeper is moved in a forward direction and enable said front wheels to pivot out of driving engagement with said driven wheels on said cleaning brush when said sweeper is moved to the rear. 
     
     
       7. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said front wheels for said sweeper is supported by an axle support member which is positioned in at least one slot in said frame, said axle support member comprising a transverse member having spaced ends and having a bore in each end thereof; a pivotable link member for each of said front wheels, said pivotable link having a first and second axle with said first axle pivotally mounted in said bore in said axle support member and said second axle rotatably supporting a front wheel.   
     
     
       8. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for supporting said pair of front wheels comprises: a cross shaft rotatably supported by said frame, said cross shaft extending across the width of said frame and having a substantially identical axially offset bore in each end thereof;   means for rotating said cross shaft;   a link member pivotally mounted in said bore in each of said cross shaft; and   a front wheel rotatably mounted on each of said link members, whereby rotation of said cross shaft will change the position of said wheel supporting means relative to said frame either raising or lowering said front wheels and in turn raising or lowering said cleaning brush relative to any ground.   
     
     
       9. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 8, wherein each of said link members has a first and a second spaced axle portion with said first axle portion pivotally positioned in said bore in each end of said cross shaft and said second axle portion rotatably supporting one of said front wheels; and wherein said link members cause said front wheels to pivot rearwardly bringing said front wheels into driving engagement with a driven wheel on each end of said cleaning brush as said carpet sweeper is moved in a forward direction and causes said front wheels to pivot away from said driven wheels on said cleaning brush when said sweeper is moved in a rearward direction to allow the brush to rotate freely in the same direction of travel.   
     
     
       10. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 8, wherein said means for rotating said cross shaft is a wheel-like projecting surface on said cross shaft. 
     
     
       11. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 8, wherein said means for rotating said cross shaft is a helically configured ridge on the surface of said cross shaft and a sliding member keyed to said helically configured ridge so that linear motion of said sliding member will cause said cross shaft to rotate. 
     
     
       12. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 1, wherein each wheel of said pair of rear wheels is supported by a configured axle member having a wheel supporting first portion and a second portion extending at an angle to said first portion, said second portion having a bend therein; a pocket on each side of said frame for receiving said second portion of said axle member and for holding said second portion of said axle member aligned with said frame; and   a latch member adjacent each of said pockets for preventing said axle member from freely coming out of said pockets.   
     
     
       13. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 12 wherein said wheel supporting first portion of said axle member has a circumferential recessed portion spaced from the end thereof; a rotatable keeper is supported on said first end of said axle member, said keeper having at least one outwardly biased finger with an inwardly directed gripping face; and   a wheel one of said rear wheels supported on said rotatable keeper, said wheel having an axial bore therein for receiving said keeper, said at least one outwardly biased finger on said keeper being compressed on entering said axial bore in said wheel causing said gripping face on said at least one finger to enter into said circumferential recessed portion on said first portion of said axle member locking said wheel and said keeper on said axle member.   
     
     
       14. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 13, wherein said at least one outwardly biased finger on said keeper has a barb-like projection for gripping the wall of said bore in said wheel to hold said wheel in place on said keeper. 
     
     
       15. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 1, wherein said dirtpan has a top, a bottom and opposed sidewalls joined to a back wall forming a substantially closed rectangular box having an open front; a T-shaped member extends outwardly from each sidewall of said dirtpan; and   said frame has a substantially vertical slot formed on the inside of each side thereof said slot being wide enough to receive the head portion of said T-shaped member when inclined in a substantially vertical direction, said slot having an enlarged bottom portion to enable said T-shaped member to pivot therein.   
     
     
       16. A carpet sweeper comprising: a frame having a front surface, a rear surface, opposed inner frame rails and a top surface having a forward portion which slopes downwardly to said front surface of said frame;   a plurality of substantially parallel upstanding fins spaced across the width of said top surface of said frame;   each of said upstanding fins having an aligned notch therein;   a flexible outer frame rail on each side of said frame attached by a front and a rear extending portion and spaced from each side surface of said frame;   a rotatable cleaning brush having a driven wheel at each end thereof, said cleaning brush extending across the bottom of said frame and being releasably supported at each end by supporting means on said outer frame rail of said frame;   a cross shaft rotatably supported in said aligned notches in said fins, said cross shaft having a bore in each end, each of said bores being substantially identically offset from the axis of rotation of said cross shaft;   means for rotating said cross shaft;   wheel supporting means pivotally mounted in said bores in each end of said cross shaft;   a front wheel rotatably mounted on each of said wheel supporting means, whereby rotation of said cross shaft will change the position of said wheel supporting means relative to said frame either raising or lowering said front wheel and in turn raising or lowering said cleaning brush relative to the ground, said wheel supporting means enabling said front wheels to pivot into driving engagement with said driven wheels on said rotatable cleaning brush to rotate said brush when said carpet sweeper is moved in a forward direction and to pivot out of driving engagement with said driven wheels when said carpet sweeper is moved in a reverse direction;   a rear wheel mount assembly and wheel releasably supported on each side of said frame;   a box-like dirtpan pivotally supported within said frame between said opposed frame rails, said dirtpan having an open front facing said cleaning brush; and   a soft cover member releasably supported on said frame and covering the top, front and sides of said frame, said cover member having a plurality of gripping surfaces for releasably fastening said cover member to associated gripping surfaces on said frame.   
     
     
       17. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 16, wherein each of said front wheels is guided between an inner frame rail of said frame and an outer frame rail of said frame. 
     
     
       18. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 16, wherein each of said wheel supporting means has a first and a second spaced axle portion with said first axle portion being pivotally mounted in said bore in said cross shaft and said second axle portion rotatably supporting one of said front wheels. 
     
     
       19. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 18, wherein each of said front wheels is retained on said second axle portion of said wheel supporting means by said flexible outer frame rail on each side of said frame. 
     
     
       20. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 16, wherein said spaced fins on said top surface of said frame shape and support said soft cover member. 
     
     
       21. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 16, wherein said soft cover member has an integral bumper portion extending across the front and on each side thereof. 
     
     
       22. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 16, including a handle bail which extends across the width of said frame and is supported by said frame. 
     
     
       23. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 22, wherein a detent plate is mounted on each side of said frame and said handle bail urges said detent plate against said frame. 
     
     
       24. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 23, wherein said detent plate is substantially butterfly-shaped and has stops projecting from opposite edges thereof. 
     
     
       25. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 23, wherein said detent plate has a pair of end-to-end ramp-shaped camming surfaces substantially centered on said detent plate with the height of each ramp increasing from said center toward a detent stop at each end of said ramps. 
     
     
       26. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 23, wherein said detent plate has a pair of projecting portions extending from the top surface thereof. 
     
     
       27. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 23, wherein said handle bail has a projecting shoulder portion at each side thereof and an inwardly bent depending portion for contacting said detent plate. 
     
     
       28. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 27, wherein a spring-like member extends over each end of said cross shaft, over said shoulder portion on said handle bail and under said projections extending from the top edge of said detent plate to hold said cross shaft and handle bail on said frame. 
     
     
       29. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 27, wherein each of said spring-like members is made of a plastic material and has an arcuate relieved portion for receiving the end portions of said cross shaft. 
     
     
       30. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 29, wherein each end of said cross shaft has a plurality of spaced longitudinal grooves therein and said arcuate relieved portion of said spring-like member has a pair of spaced raised portions for cooperating with said longitudinal grooves in said cross shaft to provide for fine adjustment of the position of said cross shaft and for holding said cross shaft in position. 
     
     
       31. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 16, wherein said cleaning brush can be replacably removed from said wall portion of said frame by flexing said flexible outer frame rail portion of said frame. 
     
     
       32. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 16, wherein said dirtpan is supported by a T-shaped projection extending from each side of said dirtpan, each of said T-shaped projections being pivotally supported in a slot on the inside surface of each side of said frame. 
     
     
       33. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 32, wherein each slot on said frame has an elongated narrow portion for slidably receiving the top of said "T" and an enlarged lower portion providing room for the top of said T-shaped portion to pivot enabling said dirtpan to pivot to empty collected dirt. 
     
     
       34. A carpet sweeper including apparatus for raising or lowering the height of a cleaning brush comprising: a frame;   a cleaning brush having a driven wheel at each end thereof rotatably supported in said frame;   a cross shaft rotatably supported on said frame adjacent said cleaning brush, said cross shaft having a bore in each end, each of said bores being substantially identically offset from the axis of rotation of said cross shaft;   means for rotating said cross shaft;   wheel supporting means pivotally mounted in said bore in each end of said cross shaft; and   a ground contacting wheel rotatably mounted on each of said wheel supporting means, whereby rotation of said cross shaft will change the position of said wheel supporting means relative to said frame either raising or lowering said ground contacting wheel and in turn raising or lowering said cleaning brush relative to the ground, said wheel supporting means enabling said ground contacting wheels to pivot into driving engagement with said driven wheels on said cleaning brush to rotate said cleaning brush when said carpet sweeper is moved in a forward direction and to pivot out of driving engagement with said driven wheels when said carpet sweeper is moved in a reverse direction.   
     
     
       35. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 34, wherein said means for rotating said cross shaft comprises a wheel-like portion of said cross shaft positioned on and extending radially from said cross shaft. 
     
     
       36. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 35, wherein the surface of said wheel-like portion is textured to facilitate moving by means of a person's fingers. 
     
     
       37. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 34, wherein said wheel supporting means has a pair of spaced axle portions, one of said axles being supported in said bore in said cross shaft and the other axle supporting said ground contacting wheel. 
     
     
       38. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 34, wherein said cleaning brush has spaced driven wheels thereon for coacting with said ground contacting wheels to rotate said brush. 
     
     
       39. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 38, wherein said wheel supporting means are pivotally mounted in the bore in each end of said cross shaft and said ground contacting wheels on said wheel supporting means can pivot to bring said ground contacting wheels into driving engagement with said driven wheels on said cleaning brush to cause said cleaning brush to rotate and can pivot to disengage said ground contacting wheels from said driven wheels on said cleaning brush when said sweeper is moved in a backward direction. 
     
     
       40. A carpet sweeper comprising: a frame for said sweeper;   a pair of front and a pair of rear wheels for said sweeper;   a rotatable cleaning brush supported by said frame;   a dirtpan supported by said frame to receive dirt from said cleaning brush; and   a removable, soft, elastomeric cover for said frame, said soft cover providing access to said frame and said front wheels when removed.   
     
     
       41. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 40, wherein said soft cover includes a plurality of gripping members for releasably fastening said soft cover to said frame. 
     
     
       42. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 41, wherein said soft cover has a Shor A durometer rating of approximately 80. 
     
     
       43. A carpet sweeper of claim 40 in which said cover includes a plurality of spaced gripping faces on the inside of said soft cover for fastening said cover to the frame of said floor cleaning device. 
     
     
       44. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 43, including an integral bumper formed on the top surface of said cover about the leading and side edges of a slot formed in said cover for an operating handle of said floor cleaning device. 
     
     
       45. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 40, wherein said soft cover is made of polyvinyl chloride. 
     
     
       46. A floor cleaning device as set forth in claim 45, wherein said cover has a slot in the top through which the end of a handle bail projects for attachment to operating handle for said floor cleaning device, said cover having an integral bumper formed about the leading and side edges of said slot. 
     
     
       47. A carpet sweeper comprising: a frame for said sweeper;   a pair of front and a pair of rear wheels for said sweeper;   a rotatable cleaning brush supported by said frame, said brush being drivingly engaged by at least one of said wheels;   a dirtpan pivotally and releasably supported by said frame, said dirtpan having a bottom and opposed sidewalls joined to a back wall;   a T-shaped member extending outwardly from each sidewall of said dirtpan; and   said frame having a substantially vertical slot formed on the inside of each side thereof, said slot being wide enough to receive the head portion of said T-shaped member when inclined in a substantially vertical direction, said slot having an enlarged bottom portion to enable said T-shaped member to pivot therein and prevent upward removal of said dirtpan.   
     
     
       48. The sweeper of claim 47 in which said dirtpan is spring biased in said frame to receive dirt from said cleaning brush. 
     
     
       49. A carpet sweeper comprising: a frame for said sweeper;   a pair of front and a pair of rear wheels for said sweeper;   a rotatable cleaning brush supported by said frame, said brush being drivingly engaged by at least one of said wheels;   a dirtpan supported by said frame to receive dirt from said cleaning brush;   a handle bail which extends across the width of said frame and is supported by said frame; and   a detent plate mounted on each side of said frame, said detent plate including a raised surface portion configured to provide increasing resistance to movement of said handle bail as said handle bail moves toward each end of said raised surface portion before said handle bail enters a detent portion where said handle bail can be held during storage of said carpet sweeper.   
     
     
       50. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 49, wherein said detent plate is substantially butterfly-shaped and has stops projecting from opposite edges thereof. 
     
     
       51. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 49, wherein said detent plate has a pair of end-to-end ramp-shaped camming surfaces substantially centered on said detent plate with the height of each ramp increasing from said center toward a detent stop at each end of said ramps. 
     
     
       52. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 49 wherein said detent plate has a pair of projecting portions extending from the top surface thereof for supporting said detent plate on said frame. 
     
     
       53. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 49, wherein said handle bail has a projecting shoulder portion at each side thereof and an inwardly bent depending portion for contacting said detent plate and holding said detent plate against the sides of said frame. 
     
     
       54. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 49, including: a cross shaft supported on said frame and having a pair of spaced ends; and   an axle disposed in each end of said cross shafts for supporting a front wheel for said sweeper.   
     
     
       55. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 54, wherein a spring-like member extends over each end of said cross shaft, over said shoulder portion on said handle bail and under said projections extending from the top edge of said detent plate to hold said cross shaft and handle bail on said frame. 
     
     
       56. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 55, wherein each of said spring-like members is made of a plastic material and has an arcuate relieved portion for receiving the end portions of said cross shaft. 
     
     
       57. A carpet sweeper as set forth in claim 56, wherein each end of said cross shaft has a plurality of spaced longitudinal grooves therein and said arcuate relieved portion of said spring-like member has a pair of spaced raised portions for cooperating with said longitudinal grooves in said cross shaft to provide for fine adjustment of the position of said cross shaft and for holding said cross shaft in position. 
     
     
       58. A carpet sweeper comprising: a frame for said sweeper;   a pair of front and a pair of rear wheels for said sweeper;   a rotatable cleaning brush supported by said frame;   a dirtpan supported by said frame to receive dirt from said cleaning brush;   each of said rear wheels being supported by a stub shaft including an axle portion and an upwardly extending portion joined by a bent portion lying in the same plane as said upwardly extending portion;   said frame including a channel receiving said upwardly extending portion; and   said frame including latching means receiving said bent portion of said stub shaft for latching said stub shaft in place within said channel.   
     
     
       59. A carpet sweeper comprising: a frame for said sweeper, said frame including flexible side rails on each side thereof;   a pair of front and a pair of rear wheels for said sweeper supported on said frame;   a rotatable cleaning brush, said brush being drivingly engaged by at least one of said wheels and supported by said flexible side rails on said frame and releasable therefrom by flexing said flexible side rails;   a dirtpan supported by said frame to receive dirt from said cleaning brush;   a handle bail;   said frame including upwardly opening slots receiving said handle bail;   said front wheels being mounted on a cross shaft;   said frame including upwardly opening slots receiving said front wheel cross shaft;   detent means on said frame; and   a retainer spring extending over said bail, over said cross shaft and under said detent means to retain said cross shaft and said bail in position.